Retractable drive for film magazines



Feb. 22, 1944. C GATY RETRACTABLE DRIVE FOR FILM MAGAZINES OriginalFiled May 24, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ill] INVENTOR. Cu/vro/v 5. QATY Feb.22, 1944. c, GATY RETRACTABLE DRIVE FOR FILM MAGAZINES Original FiledMay 24, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CZ/NTO/V 5. Q47) TTO Feb. 22,1944. c GATY RETRACTABLE DRIVE FOR FILM MAGAZINES Original Filed May 24,1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 22, 1944. 3 GATY RETRACTABLE DRIVE FOR FILMMAGAZINES Original Filed May 24, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ill/ llll W MAPatented Feb. 22, 1944 RETRACTABLE DRIVE FOR F MAGAZINES Clinton B.Gaty, Jamaica, N. Y., assignor to Fair child Aviation Corporation,Jamaica, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Original application May 24,1941, Serial No.

Divided and this application January 14, 1942, Serial No. 426,679

6 Claims. l'Cl. 88-17) This invention relates to motion picture camerasand more particularly to a drive for a removable film magazine.

This application is a division of the copending application of ClintonB. Gaty and George Rattray, Serial No. 395,098, filed May 24, 1941.

Small motion picture cameras of the eight and sixteen millimeter type inmany instances use film magazines which may be placed in or taken out ofa compartment in the camera regardless of the amount of film which hasbeen exposed. A magazine of this type usually has a depression in itsside in which a driven sprocket is disposed so that a number of suchmagazines may be conveniently stacked and so that a single magazine maybe easily inserted in or withdrawn from the magazine simply in thecamera. Where such a recessed sprocket is used, it is necessary that thedriving spindle therefor, which is carried by the camera, be extendableand retractable so as to engage the driven sprocket when the magazine isplaced in the camera and so as to be retractable therefrom to permitremoval of the magazine from the camera. Where a retractable spindle ofthis type is used, it is important that the spindle be completelyretracted before insertion of the film magazine so as to preclude damagethereto and damage to the magazine when the magazine is placed in thecamera. It is equally important that the spindle be completely retractedwhen it is desirable to remove the film magazine in order to preventdamage to any portion of the film driving mechanism through the jammingof the spindle and sprocket or the spindle and any portion of themagazine.

Inasmuch as it is practically impossible to determine the staticposition of the spindle prior to the insertion of the magazine into thecamera and inasmuch as the spindle teeth may be out of registry with thesprocket, there should be some provision whereby the spindle andsprocket initially out of registry may subsequently interengage withoutdamage to either.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a drivingconnection for a removable film magazine which though simple and sturdyin construction is capable of effective operation without damage to anypart of the drive mechanism of the camera or the magazine or to themagazine itself. It is another object of this invention to provide acontrol for the film magazine drive which positively precludes insertionor removal of the magazine except when the driving connection betweenthe camera and the magazine is completely disconnected. Other objectswill be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scopeof the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings in which is shown one of the various possibleembodiments of the invention,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a camera of the type under consideration;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of the front of the camera with thefront plate removed to show a portion of the film drive mechanism;

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, a portionthereof being broken away and a portion being shown in section; and,

Figure 4 is an enlarged staggered section taken along the line 44 ofFigure 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thevarious views of the drawings.

As shown in Figure 1, camera 22 includes a 'casing 26 which houses thefilm magazine, shutter operating mechanism, film feeding system, and thedrive therefor. Only the film feeding system, in so far as theconnection between the drive mechanism and its connection with the filmmagazine is. concerned, will be considered herein.

As shown in Figure 4, camera casing 26 has extending longitudinallytherethrough a partition 45 which divides the compartment or chamberinto a film magazine casing 46 and an operating mechanism compartment41. As is better shown in Figure 3, these compartments are permanentlyclosed at the right-hand end and are provided at the other end with aclosure or door 48 hinged at 49 to the bottom of casing 26. Compartment#6 is dimensioned to receive a commercial film magazine, generallyindicated at 50 (Figure 4), such as, for example, that shown in theUnited States patent to O. Wittel et 2.1., Serial No. 2,126,299.

Referring now to Figure 2, partition 45 of casing 26 supports within thedrive mechanism compartment of the camera a motor 68 on the armature ofwhich is mounted a small spur gear 69. This spur gear 69 meshes with alarge spur gear 12 which through a clutch device (not shown) drives abevel gear 13. Bevel gear '13 drives a large gear I32 through a train ofgear particularly described in the above-noted copending application,and this gear I32 drives the film advancing mechanism, also particularlydescribed in the same copending application. Bevel gear 13 and the trainof gears driven thereby also drive a large gear I29 rotatably mounted ona stud I30 (Figure 3) secured to and extending from partition 45.Partition 45 also has secured thereto an angle I35 to the upwardlyextending arm of which is secured a mounting plate I36 which providessuitable'support for the film footage indicator, generally indicated atI40, and the drive mechanism therefor. As is more clearly shown inFigure 4, plate I36 rotatably supports the elongated hub I31 of a gearI38, which gear (see Figure 3) meshes with large gear I29. n the upperend of hub I31, as viewed in Figure 3, is secured a spur gear I39 whichdrives the film footage indicator I40. The film footage indicator isspecifically described in the above-noted copending application.

As shown in Figure 4, the bore of gear hub I31 is splined and slidablyreceives a splined shaft 369. At one end of splined shaft 369 is atoothed spindle I10, the teeth Ia of which are insertable in pocketsformed in the sprocket and driven member 59 of the film magazine 50.Thus it will appear that when gear I38 (Figure 3) is driven by gear I29and sprocket 59 (Figure 4) is engaged by spindle teeth I10a, the film inmagazine 50 is drawn from the supply spool (not shown) therein andrewound on the rewind spool (not shown) in the customary manner.

To permit insertion of film magazine 50 within its compartment 46,spindle I10 is retractable from the film compartment. To accomplishthis, the other end of shaft 369 has secured thereto a washer I1Iagainst which the bifurcated end of a rigid arm I12 is adapted to bearwhen shaft 369 and accordingly spindle I10 are moved in sprocketdisengaging direction. The other end I12a of arm I12 is looped about andsecured to the end of an operating shaft I13 (Figure 3). One end ofshaft I13 is journaled in the upper end of angle I35, the other end ofthe shaft being journaled in a Ushaped bracket I14 secured to partition45. Shaft I13 is curved or bent as at I15 to clear a socket I16 whichprovides the lead-in terminals for motor 68 and other electricallyactuated devices in the camera such as described in the above-notedapplication. On the left-hand end of shaft I13 in Figure 3 is secured anoperating arm or lever I11, the upper end I11a of which is secured tothe shaft and lies within compartment 41, and the lower end I 11b ofwhich extends into the film magazine compartment 46 (Figure 4) close toand preferably parallel with side 48a of door 48. A pin I18 extends'fromend I 11b of lever I11, and when the lever is in the position shown inFigure 4, pin I18 registers with and extends through an opening in side480. (Figure 3) of door 48 when the door is closed. To facilitate thelocating of pin I18 in the hole of door side 48a, there is provided aspring generally indicated at I19 (Figure 4). The two arms I80 and I8Iembrace opposite sides of pin I18 and act as a guide therefor uponclosing of the door as well as a retaining device for holding lever I11in proper position when the door is closed.

As shown in the lower left-hand portion of Figure 4, a resilient arm oflever spring I 82 has one end thereof secured to the shaft I13, and theother end of the spring presses against the left-hand end of shaft 369.Thus when shaft I13 is turned clockwise, as viewed in Figure 4,

shaft I69 is resiliently biased toward the film feed sprocket 59 so thatif the teeth I10a on spindle I 10 are not in proper position to enterthe sprocket, they may ride thereover until they register with thepockets therein, at which time spring arm I82 snaps the spindle teeth110a into position.

From the above it will appear that when lever I11 is pivotedcounterclockwise from the position shown in Figure 4, the rigid arm I12by reason of its engagement with washer I1I retracts spindle I10 into aspace I83 provided therefor in partition and gear I38. In other words,lever I11 and spindle I10 are completely withdrawn from film magazinecompartment 46 so as to permit free insertion or withdrawal of the filmmagazine. Unless the lever and disc are thus completely retracted, thefilm magazine can neither be inserted nor withdrawn from compartment 46,and jamming of the feed drive is positively precluded. For the samereason when the film magazine is in proper operative position incompartment 46, and lever I11 and spindle I10 are in the position shownin Figure 4, it is impossible to withdraw the film magazine from itscompartment or insert the magazine into the compartment, as the leverforms a positive stop against such withdrawal or insertion regardless ofthe position of door 48 (Figure 3). This also precludes jamming of thefilm feed driving mechanism there or the film mechanism in itscompartment. It will also appear that the only manner in which spindleI10 can be engaged with sprocket 59 or disengaged therefrom is throughthe manual manipulation of lever I11. Furthermore, the relationshipbetween lever I11 and shaft I13 and the relationship between shaft I13and spindle I10 are such that spindle I10 is not retracted into spaceI83 until the free end of lever I11 is moved completely away from theopening of magazine chamber 46. Inasmuch as the inrier'surface of thefree end of the lever I11, as viewed in Figure 4, lies immediatelyadjacent the outer end of magazine 50, the magazine cannot be moveduntil the lever is completely shifted away from th opening of themagazine com artment. Thus there is no possibility of a slight initialwithdrawing movement of the magazine jamming spindle I10 and sprocket59.

Thus when the operator of the camera loads the camera, door 48 (Figure3) is swung open. If lever I11 is in the position shown, it is impossible to insert the film magazine. Then the operator moves lever I11,and accordingly spindle 369 (Figure 4) retracts from magazinecompartment 46 so that the magazine may be inserted therein. Unless themagazin is properly positioned within its compartment, lever I11 cannotbe swung into position shown in Figure 4. When the magazine is properlypositioned, however, the lever may be swung to the position shown, withthe result that the spindle I10 is in position to engage sprocket 59 andcan engage therewith when the teeth on the spindle register with thepockets in the sprocket. Also when the several parts are in thisposition, the door 48 may be swung closed so that the hole therein mayregister with and receive lever pin I18. It should be noted that thedoor cannot be completely closed if the hole therein does not registerwith pin I18 as long as any portion of the free end of lever I11 (Figure4) blocks the opening to magazine chamber 46. This assures completeengagement between spindle I10 and sprocket 59 before the camera isoperated.

It may now be seen that I have provided a controlla'ble drivingconnection between the camera film feeding mechanism and the filmmagazine I which attains in a thoroughly practical and efficient mannerthe several objects set forth hereinabove.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and asmany changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is tobe understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in theaccompanying drawings. is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense. i

I claim:

1. In motion picture camera construction, in combination, a casinghaving a chamber formed therein adapted .to receive a film magazine, afilm magazine in said chamber and including s rotatable sprocket adaptedupon operation to move the film past an opening in the magazine, meansin said casing for driving said sprocket, means forming a drivingconnection between said driving means and said sprocket, saidlast-mentioned means including a retractable spindle movable betweenengaged and disengaged positions with respect to said sprocket, meansfor moving said spindle into and out of engagement with said sprocket,said last-mentioned means including a rotatable shaft the inner end ofwhich is operatively connected to said spindle to effect sprocketengaging and operation thereof the outer end of said shaft lyingadjacent a side of said casing and accessible for manual operation.

2. In motion picture camera'construction, in combination, a casinghaving a chamber formed therein adapted to receive a film magazine, afilm magazine in said chamber and including a rotatable sprocket adaptedupon operation to move the film past an opening in the magazine, meansin said casing for driving said sprocket, means forming a drivingconnection between said driving means and said sprocket. saidlast-mentioned dmengaged positions, said last-mentioned means includinga lever one end oi which extends across at least a portion of theentrance to said chamber when said spindle is in its sprocket engagingposition to block the entrance against withdrawal of or insertion of thefilm magazine with respect to said chamber.

4. In motion picture camera construction, in combination, a casinghaving formed therein an elongated chamber openable at one end thereofand adapted to slidably receive a film magazine, a film magazine in saidchamber and including a rotatable sprocket adapted upon operation tomove the film past an opening in the magazine, means in said casing fordriving said sprocket, means forming a driving connection between saiddriving means and said sprocket. said last-mentioned means including aretractable spindle movable between engaged and disengaged positionswith respect to said sprocket, means for moving said spindle between itsengaged and disengaged positions, said last-mentioned means including alever one end of which extends across at least a portion of the entranceto said chamber when said spindle is in its sprocket engaging P sitionto block the entrance against withdrawal of or insertion of the filmmagazine with respect to said chamber, and means forming a closure forsaid chamber, said closure havingv formations thereon engageable withsaid lever end to preclude movement of said closure to its closedposition except when said lever is moved to the extremities of itsspindle en aging or disengaging positions.

5. A camera having a chamber therein adapted to slidably receive a filmmagazine, said 4 film magazine having in one side thereof a meansincluding a retractable spindle movable between engaged and disengagedpositions with respect to said sprocket, means for moving said spindleinto and out of engagement with said sprocket, said last-mentioned meansincluding a rotatable shaft the inner end of which is operativelyconnected to said spindle to effect sprocket engaging and disengagingoperation thereof the outer end of said shaft lying adjacent a side ofsaid casing and accessible for manual operation, and a manually operablelever fastened to said shaft for manual operation thereof, said leverextending into said chamber.

3. In motion picture camera construction, in combination, a casinghaving formed therein an elongated chamber openable at one end thereofand adapted to slidably receive a film magazine, a film in said chamberand including a rotatable sprocket adapted upon operation to move thefilm past an opening in the magazine. means in said casing for drivingsaid sprocket, means forming a driving connection between said drivingmeans and said sprocket, said lastmentioned means including aretractable spindle movable between engaged and disenga ed positionswith respect to said sprocket, and means for moving said spindle betweenits engaged and sprocket adapted to be driven, a driving spindlerotatably mounted in said camera and movable axially into and out ofsaid chamber to engage and disengage said sprocket, manually operablemeans for moving said spindle between its engaged anddisengagedpositions, said manually operable means including a lever, adoor hingedly mounted on said camera for closing said chamber, and meanson said lever for preventing complete closing of said door unless saidlever is in its spindle engagin position.

8. A camera having a chamber therein adapted to slidably receive a filmmagazine, said film magazine having in one side thereof a sprocketadapted to be driven, a driving spindle rotatably mounted in said cameraand movable axially into and out oi said chamber to engage and disengagesaid sprocket, manually operable means for moving said spindle betweenits engaged and disengaged positions, said manually operable meansincluding a lever, a door hingedly mounted on said camera for closingsaid chamber, and means on said lever for preventing complete closing ofsaid door unless said lever is in its spindle engaging position, saidlast-mentioned means comprising a projection on the end of said leveradapted to enter an opening in said door when said lever is in itsspindle en- :ggigg position to permit complete closing of e oor.

CL'QTION B. GA'I'Y.

